Apparatus for orienting mitered cleats



Dec, 15, 1953 D. G. KlNGsLr-:Y

APPARATUS FOR .ORIENTING MIIERED CLEATS Filed April 9, 1952 o O o D o oD Q O avlld BY Sw m Q Dec. 15, 1953 Filed April 9, 1952 D. G. KINGSLEYAPPARATUS FOR ORIENTING MITERED CLEATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented ec. 15,1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR ORIENTING MITERED CLEATSApplication April 9, 1952, Serial No. 281,362

(Cl. Hi8-33) 13 Claims. l

This invention relates to apparatus for uniformly orienting mitered-endcleats and feeding them to the conveyor bands of a box-part-makingmachine.

Wirebound box and crate blanks are usually formed by cleats and sidematerial or slats stapled together to forni a plurality, usually four,box sections or sides which are secured together by binding Wiresstapled to the box sections. The cleats are often provided with nciteredends so that when the box blanlr is folded around to set up the box, theabutting ends of the cleats at each corner of the bon will rit snuglytogether to lend strength and rigidity to the box. Wirebound boxes ofthis general type are disclosed in U. S, Patent No. 1,933,030, issuedOctober 3l, 1933.

In wirebound box-part-rnaking machines, properly assembled cleats andside material or slats are conveyed past a transverse row of stap-lingunits where staples are driven astride binding wires and into the sidematerial and cleats to form the wrebound box or crate blanks. The cleatsand slats are conveyed through the machine by means of two or moreconveyor bands on which are secured spacer blocks having projectingpush-elements which engagethe slats and the cleats and convey them inproperly assembled relationship. ln the copending application Serial No.apparatus for automatically feeding cleats to the conveyor bands of abox-part-niaking machine is disclosed. This apparatus includes a hopperin which a generally vertical stackv of cleats is held in position aboveeach of the conveyor bands, with the bottom cleat or the stack in thepath ci the cleat-pushing elements on the spacer blocks so that theelements will engage and the cleats individually and successively fromthe bottom of the stack. rlhis apparatus enables a considerable savingof time effort on the part of the personnel employed in placing the boxmaterials on the conveyor bands of the machine. However, the apparatusdisclosed necessitates prearrangement ci the cleats to there uniformorientation.

The present intention. llas for its objectives sion ci li tical,reliable and economical apparatus fo.. uniformly crient-ing initereeendcleats so they may ce fed automatically to the conveyor be of abox-part-making machine, thereby ina possible a substantial saving inthe time personnel who tend m' C* anc eiiort required of the themachine, and enabling substantial savings in the cost of producing boxparts or box blanks.

The apparatus of the invention includes a cleat hopp-er in which thecleats are stacked generally parallel to each other but without regardto orientation. A pickup conveyor is movable across the bottom of thehopper to remove cleats from the hopper and convey them single le alonga path generally lateral to the cleats. The cleats are carried againstthe periphery of a pair of rotatable spacing wheels having peripherallyspaced elements for engaging the cleats and removing them individuallyand at timed intervals from the pickup conveyor. This results in spacingthe cleats apart so that there is sufficient room to permit axialrotation of the cleats to achieve uniform orientation.

The spacing wheels deliver the cleats to a pair of cleat orienting beltswhich are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the length or"the cleats and are arranged to convey the cleats along a path generallyperpendicular to the long axes of the cleats by engagement of theorient-- ing belts with the ends of the cleats. The orienting belts areinclined so as to present to the end of the cleats surfaces inclinedupwardly and outwardly so that the cleats in a short-side-up positionride on the orienting belts at a higher level than the cleats in ashort-side-down position.

A pair of cleat turning members or pawls are mounted above the cleatorienting belts in position to engage and impede forward movement of theupper portions or the cleats riding on the orienting belts in ashort-side-up position, but not to engage the cleats riding in ashort-sidedown position. These cleat turning members, acting inconjunction with irictional engagement of the lower corners of thecleats with the moving orienting belts, create a couple which rotatesthe cleats and causes them to fall to a short-sidedovvn position. A pairof leaf springs is mounted adjacent the cleat turning members inposition to engage and bear downwardly upon the trailing portion of theupwardly racing short side oi each of the cleats in a short-side-upposition on the orienting belts, to enhance this rotative couple.

In order to place all of the cleats in the desired orientation prior tofeeding them into the hoppers above the conveyor bands of thebox-partnialsing machine, all oi the cleats are given an additional 90rotation. This is accomplished on a stacking lconveyor which ispositioned to receive the cleats at the output end of the .orientingbelts. Cleat turning members and leaf springs, similar to thosepreviously described, are po 'tioned above the stacking conveyor forengag? -g all of the cleats thereon androtating them through an angle of99.

The rate at which the cleat orienting apparatus tends to supply cleatsinto each of the hoppers above the conveyor bands exceeds the rate atwhich the cleats are removed from the hoppers bv the conveyor bands.Accordingly, after a brief period of operation, a solid line oi cleatswill accumulate on the stacking conveyor, with the stacking conveyorcontinuing to run and sliding frictionally under the cleats. In order todisene'age the drive to the pickup conveyor, spacing wheels cleatorienting belts when a solid line of cleats of predetermined extent hasaccumulated on the stacking conveyor, a pair of photoelectric cells arepositioned at spaced points along the path of the cleats on the stackingconveyor and a pair of light sources are arranged in line with thephotoelectric cells n the opposite side of the cleat path. Thesephotoelectric cells are connected to an electrically controlled clutchand brake in the drive to the pickup conveyor, spacing wheels and cleatorienting belts in such manner that when the beams of light to both ofthe photoelectric cells have been intercepted by cleats on the stackingconveyor, the clutch is disengaged and the brake is applied to stop thedrive to these units until suicient cleats have been removed to exposeboth light sources.

ln the drawings, in which an illustrative embodiment of the invention isshown:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevational view of adispensingr apparatus embodying features of the invention, the apparatusbeing shown partly in section;

Figure 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic top plan view of the machine;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, at enlarged scale, takengenerally along the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figures Il, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views of one of the cleat-turningassemblies of the apparatus showing, in successive steps, the turning ofa cleat by said assembly; and,

Figure '7 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit whichcontrols the drive of the apparatus.

In Figures l and 2, the cleat orienting and feeding apparatus is shownpositioned alongside one of the conveyor bands I (at the extreme rightin those iigures) near the input end of the box-part-making machine. Thevarious component mechanisms of the apparatus are supported on aframework which includes a plurality of upright members i2. withappropriate longitudinal and transverse bracing members, mountingbrackets and bearings for the various components oi the apparatus.

rlhe apparatus includes a large hopper M, shown at the extreme left inFigure 1, which is adapted to receive a plurality of cleats i3 arrangedgenerally parallel to each other but without regard to orientation. Thehopper It is open at its lower end and a pair of pickup conveyor beltsi5 are arranged to extend across the bottom of the hopper along a linegenerally perpendicular to the long axes of the cleats in the hopper.The pickup conveyor belts IS are trained upon idler pulleys i3 and drivepulleys IS, the latter being driven from a motor 28, suitably supportednear the door beneath the center of the apparatus.

The drive from the motor 23 to the pulleys Ii is through a pulley 2!(Figure 1) on the motor shaft, a V-belt 22, and a pulley 23 (Figure 2)xeol near one end of a sleeve 2t rotatably supported on a fixed shaft 25Which is supported at either end by brackets 3l on a cross-beam 3?. ofthe frame oi the apparatus. One plate of a solenoid-controlled clutch ZBis fixed on the other end of the sleeve 2t, and the other plate o theclutch 25 is fixed at one end of a second sleeve 28 also rotatablymounted on the ixcd shaft 25. A sprocket 29 on the sleeve 23 has trainedabout it a chain Sii which is also trained about a sprocket 32 securedon the same sha-it on which the pulleys iii are fixed. Arranged to actupon the opposite end of the sleeve 23 is a solenoidcontrolled brake 2l,which is operable, in combination with the clutch 2G, to control thedrive train just referred to, as will be more particularly describedhereinafter.

r,The pickup conveyor belts it are thus driven across the bottom of thehopper ifi in the direction indicated by the arrow A in Figure 1, andtend to move the cleats out oi the hopper in that direction. The lowerend Ida of the wall of the hopper Ul toward which the pickup conveyorbelts it tend to move the cleats out oi the hopper is spaced above thepickup conveyor belts i6 by a distance slightly exceeding the thicknessoi the cleats so as to permit the cleats to move from the hopper onlysingle nie on the conveyor belts it.

A pair of spacing wheels 3S are positioned across the output orright-hand end oi the pickup conveyor belts i5, as viewed in Figures land 2, so that the belts i3 carry the cleats laterally against theperiphery or" the spacing wheels 35. rEhe spacing wheels 35 are securedto a rotatable shaft B which is driven in the direction indicated by thearrow B in Figure 1, by means oi a sprocket which is coupled through achain 62 to a sprocket lil (Figure 2) xed on the driven shaft 36%previously referred to.

Around the periphery of each of the spacing wheels 35 are provided. aplurality of equally spaced, radially projecting cleat-engaging elementsEta adapted to engage the cleats on the pickup conveyor belts it andlift them from the belts and over the tops of the spacing wheels Thedrive ratio of the pickup conveyor belts it and spacing Wheels 36 issuch that the pickup conveyor belts i@ will furnish cleats to thespacing wheels 36 at a rate faster than the rate at which the spacingwheels remove cleats from pickup conveyor belts. This causes cleats toccumulate on the pickup conveyor belts IE, as shown in Figures l and :2.Since 'there is only frictional engagement between the pickup conveyorbelts iii and the cleats thereon, as cleats ccurnulate in a solid lineon the pickup conveyor belts, the belts lwill simply slide frictionailyunder the bottom surfaces of the cleats. The cleats will be moved:forward intermittently, being stationary except when the cleat engagingelements @63a on the spacing wheels t6 remove a cleat from the outputend of the pickup conveyor belts IE, at which time the line of cleats onthe pickup conveyor belt will move forward a distance equal to thethickness of one cleat to fill the space vacated by the cleat removedand place the next cleat in position to be picked up by the nextsucceeding pair of elements @ila on the spacing wheels 3E.

A pair of inclined slide rails |36 are mounted at the output orright-hand end of the spacing wheels 36, as viewed in Figures l and 2,to receive the Vcleats from the spacing wheels 36. The left-hand ends ofthe slide rails 4B are ele.- vated above their right-hand ends and arepositioned so as to intersect the peripheral line of the spacing wheelsat a point just to the right of the tops of the spacing wheels, so thatas the cleats pass over the tops of the spacing wheels fit they arepicked up by the slide rails l5 and slide down them onto a pair oforienting belts 48.

The function of the foregoing mechanism is thus to supply cleats to thecleat orienting belts til at spaced intervals. This prevents theaccumulation of a solid line of cleats on the cleat orienting belts andallows room for rotating the cleats to achieve uniform orientation.

The orienting belts 43 are spaced apart a dis. tance approximately equalto the length of the cleats and are adapted to convey the cleats along apath generally perpendicular to the long axes of the cleats byfrictional engagement `with the ends of the cleats. The orienting beltsare trained upon idler pulleys t, which are mounted on short, rotatableshafts 52, and about vdrive pulleys 54, which are secured'to short,rotatable drive shafts 5b (see also Figure 3). The axes of the shafts 52and 5b are at 45 angles with respect to the horizontal (as best shown inFigure 3) so that the pulleys 5@ and 54 and orienting belts 43 areinclined to present to the ends of the cleats surfaces inclined upwardlyand outwardly; thus, the cleats which fall on the belts in ashort-sideup position (as shown in broken lines in Figure 3) ride at ahigher level than the cleats which fall onto the belts in ashort-side-down position (as shown in full lines). Because of the shapeoi the ends of the cleats, and of the inclination of the orienting belts48, the cleats fall to either one or the other of these two positions.

The drive shafts for the cleat orienting belts it are rotatablysupported in bearings 5'. (Figure 3) mounted on brackets El! secured toupper ends of two of the upright members l2. The shafts 55 are driventhrough bevel gears 59 and (it, the latter being secured at oppositeends of a short, horizontal drive shaft iii. rotatably supported inbearings @d on a base ii secured on a cross-brace lil' of the frame ofthe apparatus. The drive shaft 52 has keyed thereon a spur gear @c whichmeshes with a spur gear 'Hi (Figure 2) on a shaft 12 which extendstransversely of the apparatus and is rotatably supported at its oppositeends in bearings 'Ni (Figure 2) The latter shaft 'i2 has keyed thereon asprocket 76 about which is trained a chain "i3 which is also trainedabout a sprocket ils on the driven shaft 33 previously referred to. Itis thus apparent that the cleat orienting belts, as well as the spacingwheels @t and pickup conveyor belts I6 are driven by the motor 2@through the solenoidactuated clutch 26 (Figure 2) A pair of cleatturning members or pawls 82 are rotatably mounted above the cleatorienting belts it on a shaft 84 which extends transversely of theapparatus and is supported at its opposite ends on upstanding brackets86.

rihe rotatably mounted pawls 82 are normally urged by their own weightin a clockwise direction about the shaft 84, as viewed in Figures a, 5and 6. This movement is limited by means of stop fingers 8S which extendbeneath the pawls i2 and are adjustably secured on transverse shaft bymeans of collars 9!! (Figure 2).. rlhe co1- lars Sii and stop fingers 88are so positioned that the stop iingers cause the cleat turning membersor pawls 82 to .assume a normal position wherein their lower -ends 82aare at such level as to engage the upper portions of the cleats ridingon the orienting belts 84 in Va short-side-upposition, but not thecleats in a short-side-down positiOn.

In Figure 4, a cleat i3, in a short-side-up position, is shown as itiirst engages vone of the pawls 82. The forward movement of the upperportion of the cleat is impeded by the pawl 32, while the lower portionof the cleat tends to move in the direction of the arrow C, due tofrictional engagement between the lower corners of the cleat and themoving beltsffit. This creates a rotative couple which tends to .turnthe cleat about its long axis in a oountercloclzwise direction, asindicated by the arrow i). This rotative couple is enhanced by means ofleaf springs 5:! which are nxed at one end to the transverse shaft 8dalongn side the pawls 82 and have their opposite ends 92d positioned toengage and press downwardly upon the after portion of the upper surfaceof the cleats in a short-side-up position, when those cleats reach thepoint of engagement with pawls 82. This rotative couple causes thecleats to turn in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in Figures 5and 6.

The rotatable mounting of the pawis t?. permits the pawls to move upwardyieldingly, as shown in `Figures 5 and 6, to permit the cleats to passbetween the pawls 32 and the orienting belts d8, while the cleats arerotating.

As will be understood from an examination of Figure 6, the action of thepawls 82 is only such as to rotate the cleats through an angle ofapproximately or slightly more; however, the cleats will ride only ineither a short-side-up or a short-side-down position and since thecleats halfway between these two positions are urged i Y gravity towarda -short-side-down position and since the pawls have initiated rotationof the cleats to a short-sidepown position and continue to engage thecleats to prevent a reversal of this rotation, all of the cleats fall toa short-sidedown position.

The eifect of the orienting elements just described is thus to positionall of the cleats with their short sides down. This is the orientationin which it is desired to feed the cleats into the hopper Sii (at theextreme right in Figure l), in which they are held in position above theconveyor bands It of the box-parteinalring machine for successiveremoval by the cleat-pushing elements Qta projecting from spacer blocks9:3 clamped on the conveyor bands i5. However, it is expedient to feedthe cleats into the hopper 9a through a guide channel Se in which thecleats are rotated through a 90 angle in a clockwise direction, asviewed in Figure l. in order to oiset this rotation, means is providedto rotate the cleats through a 90 angle in the opposite direction beforefeeding them into the guide channel S8, as will new be described.

Adjacent the output end of the orienting belts i8 are a pair of stackingconveyor belts it@ which are arranged to receive cleats from theorienting belts 45 and to convey the cleats along a path generallylateral to the cleats by fric-tional engagement of the belts with thebottoni surfaces of the cleats. The transfer of cleats from theorienting belts iii to the stacking conveyor is accomplished withoutrotation of the cleats from their short-side-down position. The stacf'ngconveyor belts I til are spaced apart a distan e less than the length ofthe short sides of the cleats and all of the cleats are thus supportedat the same level on the steel-:ing conveyor belts. The stackingconveyor belts are trained about drive pulleys to2 and large idlerpulleys i. The drive pulleys EQ2 are driven directly from the motor 2ethrough a sprocket its on the sleeve 22 (Figure 2), a chain ISS and asprocket Idil on the same shaft i ill on which the pulleys i are lined.The stacking conveyor elts are thus driven in the direction oi the arrowE (Figure l). At each end of the cleats on the stacking conveyor beltsEGG a guide rail i i3 is provided to keep the cleats in proper alignmenton the belts Positioned above the stac ing conveyor belts it@ are a pairci cleat turning members or pawls l2 which rotatably mounted on atransverse shaft lili supported on upstanding brackets H5. Associatedwith each oi the cleat turning pawls H2 a stop it and a leaf springr|22, which similar in construction and arrangen ment to the correspon=ng elements associate-2. with pawls 82 previously described. Theoperation of the pawls, stop members and springs is similar to that fdescribed, except that the lower ends vls i E are positioned to engageand imp movement of the upper portions oi each oi e cleats on thestacking conveyor belts so that each cleat will be subjected to arotative couple which will turn the cleat through an angle of S in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure l. as may be seen in theright-hand of 2, all of the cleats at the output end of the sta ingconveyor belts ille are oriented with their short sides forward, so thatthe 90 clockwise rotation imparted to the cleats in the gui e channel ESwill again pla-cc the cleats in a short-sirledown position as they enterthe hopper The speed of the stacking conveyor belts les, and or theother conveyingmechanisms, is such that cleats will be supplied into thehopper 95| at a rate in excess or" the rate at which they are removedfrom the hopper by the cleat pushing elements Sta on the conveyor bands|il. This causes cleats to accumulate in the hopper 9?; and on thestacking conveyor belts |20, with the stacking conveyor belts slidingfrictionally under the cleats, and maintaining the cleats in a closelyabutting column. Means is provided to shut oilc n c un. S

the supply of cleats to the stacking conveyor belts when this continuousline of cleats reaches a predetermined length.

To this end, a pair of suitable light sources 22 and |23, i'or example,electric lamps with condensii are positioned at spaced points beneaththe :l of the cleats on the stacking conveyor belts mit and arranged todirect beams of light upwardly through the cleat path to a pair ofphotoelectric cells 921i and which are mounted above on overhead framesi255.

photoelectric cells |26 and |25 are electrically connected to controlthe clutch 2t and brake 2l so that when the beams of light to both ofthe photoelectric cells are intercepted by cleats on the stackingconveyor belts |03, which l.sans that there is a solid line of cleats onthe stacking conveyor belts extending to the point where the beam oflight from the lett-hand light source 22 (as viewed in Figures l and 2)intersects the path of the cleats, the clutch 2S is disengaged and thebrake 2l is applied to stop the pickup conveyor belts l, the spacingwheels 36 and the orienting belts fit1, and thereby stop the supply ofcleats to the stacking conveyor :belts lil. Since the stacking conveyorbelts llil are connected directly to the motor 20 and are not aected bythe disengagement of the clutch 26, the stacking conveyor belts |00 willcontinue to convey cleats into the hopper 84 for removal by the cleatpushing elements 96a on the conveyor :bands |0. However, no more cleatswill be supplied to the stacking conveyor belts |00 until the solid lineof cleats thereon has moved forward to such extent that the beams oflight to both of the photoelectric cells |25 and |25 are uncovered.

The lamps |22 and |23 and photoelectric cells |24 and |25 are sopositioned that the beams of light are directed through the path of thecleats at an oblique angle relative to the sides of the cleats, so thatwhen two abutting cleats intercept one of the beams of light, noappreciable amount of light reaches the `photoclectric cell. The widthof each of the beams of light is greater than the effective width of asingle cleat, as viewed from the oblique angle at which the beams oflight intersect the cleat path, so that neither of the beams of lightcan be entirely extinguished by one cleat alone. Thus, a solid line ofcleats, and, in practical effect, nothing less, will actuate the controlcircuit to shut oii the supply of cleats.

Figure 'l schematically illustrates the electrical interconnectionbetween the photoelectric cells 124 and |25 and the clutch 26 and brake21. As may be seen in that figure, the photoelectric cells 24 and |25are respectively connected in series with the windings |28a and |30@ ofa pair of control relays |28 and |30 across the lines |32 and |34, whichareconnected to the opposite terminals of the source of electricalpower. The contacts |28?) of the relay |28 are normally closed and areconnected by means of conductors |35 and |33 between one of the powerlines |32 and one side of the winding |42a of a triple-pole power relay|42. The opposite terminal of the winding |4261. is connected throughthe normally closed contacts |39 of the other control relay |36 and theconductor |40 to the other power line |34. The normally open contacts|421) of the power relay |42 are connected in series with the solenoid21a which controls the brake 21, across the power lines |32 and |34,while the normally closed contacts |220 are connected in series with thesolenoid 26a which controls the clutch 2li, across thexpower lines |32and |34. The normally open contacts |42d of power relay |/l2 areconnected in parallel with the contacts |2b of con trol relay |28 toserve as holding contacts for the power relay |28, as will subsequentlybe described.

The functioning of this circuit is as follows: When the operation of theapparatus is first commenced, there are of course no cleats on thestacking conveyor belts |02, so that light from the lamps |22 and |23reaches both oi the photoelectric cells |2 and |25, respectively. Thus,both of the photoelectric cells |26 and |25 are electrically conductive,so that current flows from the power lines |32 and |34 through thephotoelectric cells |24 and |25 and through the windings |28a and |3Gaof the control relays |28 and |32, to maintain both control relaysenergized and keep their normally closed contacts |28b and |305 open.

As operation of the apparatus continues, due to the fact that theapparatus tends to supply cleats into the hopper SHS at a rate fasterthan the rate at which they are removed from the hopper, cleats willaccumulate on the stacking conveyor belts until the beam of light to therighthand photoelectric cell ld is intercepted. This will render thephotoelectric cell 25 nonconductive and ole-energize the relay i3d,allowing its normally closed contacts iadb to close and connecting oneside of the winding i520. or the control relay i @-2 to the power linei3d. This will not affect the operation of the apparatus until thecontinuous line or cleats on the stacking conveyor belts Edil becomes ofsuch extent that the beam of light to the left-hand photoelectric cellili is also intercepted. When this happens, the photoelectric cell |24will become nonconductive and control relay lili will be die-energized,allowing its contacts ldt to close and connect the opposite terminal ofthe winding lilac of control relay MQ to the other power line |32, rhiswill energize the control relay 1li, opening its nor- :nelly closedcontacts IiEc to de-energize clutch solenoid 2te: and disengage theclutch 2S. The energization ci power relay |42 will also close itsnormally open contacts High, energizing brake solenoid 2id and applyingthe brake 27 to stop the movement of the pickup conveyor belts Iii,spacing wheels te and orienting belts d5. It will also close the holdingcontacts |fl2d of the power relay |42. i

The supply oi cleats to the stacking conveyor belts lilo will thus becut ofi. The stacking conveyor belts, however, being driven directlyfrom the motor 2t, as previously described, will continue to run and tosupply the accumulated cleats into the hopper all. As the cleats areremoved from the bottom oi the hopper by the cleat pushing elementselio, the accumulated cleats will be moved forwardly to uncover the beamof light to the left-hand photoelectric cell |265. This will render thephotoelectric cell 2t conductive and again energize the control relayand open its contacts lflilb. However, since the holding contacts lll2dof the power relay |fi2, which are now closed by the energization ofpower relay M2, are connected in parallel with the contacts |2819 ofcontrol relay lit, the re-energization of relay E3 alone will not affectthe operation of the apparatus. When the stack of cleats on the stackingconveyor belts itil has diminished suiciently to uncover the beam oflight to the right-hand photoelectric cell the photoelectric cell |25will be made conductive and the control relay it@ will be ire-energizedto open its contactsl i'ib and disconnect the other end of the windingM25@ o1" the power relay |62 from the power line i3d. This willde-energize the power relay, opening its contacts M227 to de-energizebrake solenoid Ela and release the brake 21, and closing its contactsM20 to energize clutch solenoid Zta and engage the clutch 26 to resumethe drive of the pickup conveyor belts it, spacing wheels 36 andorienting belts de. This cycle or" intermittent operation will berepeated so as to keep cleats supplied to the hopper 94, withoutaccumulating an excessive number of cleats on the stacking conveyorbelts mtl.

While apparatus has been shown lfor feeding cleats to only one of theconveyor bands of the box-part-making machine, it will be appreciatedthat the feed of cleats to the other conveyor band may be accomplishedsimilarly, either by duplicate orienting apparatus, or by dividing thesupply of oriented cleats equally between the two conveyor bands. Wherecleats of two different lengths are to be fed to the conveyor bands oithe machine, as where boxes with oblong ends are being made, the twolengths oi cleats may be oriented separately and fed into separatehoppers above each ci the conveyor bands or intermixed alternately andfed into special hoppers designed for the feeding of two lengths ofcleats.

It will therefore be appreciated that the present invention providespractical means for uniformly orienting mitered cleats preparatory forfeeding them to the conveyor bands of a boX-part-making machine. Thus itmay be seen that the aforementioned as well as other desirable objectshave been achieved. However', it should be emphasized that theparticular embodiments of the apparatus shown and described herein areintended as merely illustrative and not as restrictive of the inventionclaim:

1. Apparatus for uniformly orienting miteredcleats preparatory tofeeding said cleats to a boX-part-making machine, said apparatuscomprising cleat orienting elements spaced apart a distanceapproximately equal to the length oi said cleats and having surfacesadapted to engage the opposite ends of said cleats for supporting saidcleats, said surfaces being so shaped that the cleats in a short-side-upposition on said cleat orienting elements are supported at a diii'erentlevel than the cleats in a short-side-down position, a cleat turningmember positioned adjacent said cleat orienting elements at such levelas to engage and impede relative movement oi the cleats in one of saidpositions on said orienting elements but not the cleats in the other ofsaid positions, and means to cause relative movement between said cleatorienting elements and said cleat turning member to cause engagementbetween said cleat turning member and the cleats in said one position tocreate a couple which 10- tates said cleats and causes them to fall tosaid other position.

2. Apparatus for uniformly orienting miteredend cleats preparatory tofeeding said cleats to a boX-part-making machine, said apparatuscomprising a pair of movable orienting belts spaced apart a distanceapproximately equal to the length of said cleats for receiving saidcleats aligned generally parallel to each other but of differentorientation and conveying said cleats along a path generally at rightangles to the long axes of said cleats by engagement of said orientingbelts with the ends of said cleats, said orienting belts being inclinedso as to present to the ends of said cleats surfaces extending upwardlyand outwardly so that the cleats in a short-side-up position ride onsaid orienting belts at a higher level than the cleats in ashort-sidedown position, and a cleat-turning member positioned above thepath of said cleats at such level as to engage and impede forwardmovement of the upper portions of the cleats riding on said orientingbelts in a short-side-up position but not the cleats riding in ashort-side-down position, to create, with the moving belts, a couplewhich turns the former said cleats generally about said axes and causesthem to fall to a shortside-down position.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said cleat turning member ismounted for upward yielding movement to permit a cleat to pass undersaid cleat turning member while said cleat is rotating from ashort-side-up to a short-sidedown position.

Li. Apparatus for uniformly orienting initeredend cleats preparatory tofeeding said cleats to a box-part-making machine, said apparatuscomprising a pair of movable orienting belts spaced apart a distanceapproximately equal to the length of said cleats for receiving saidcleats aligned generally parallel to each other but of differentorientation and conveying said cleats along a path generally at rightangles to the long axes of said cleats by engagement of said orientingbelts with the ends of said cleats, said orienting belts being inclinedso as to present to the ends of said cleats surfaces extending upwardlyand outward-ly so that the cleats in a short-side-up position ride onsaid orienting belts at a higher level than the cleats in ashort-sidedown position, a cleat turning assembly positioned above andadjacent to the path of said cleats, said cleat turning assemblyincluding a pawl arranged to engage the upper portion of the leadingface of each of the cleats riding on said orienting belts in ashort-side-up position, but not the cleats riding a short-side-downposition, and to impede forward movement of said upper portion, andresilient means arranged to bear against the trailing portion of theupwardly facing short side of each of said cleats and to impose adownward force on said trailing portion, whereby to create, with thefriction between the lower corners of said cleats and the movingorienting belts, a couple which rotates said cleats and causes them tofall to a short-side-down position, said pawl being mounted for upwardyielding movement to permit a cleat to pass under said pawl while saidcleat is rotating from a short-side-up to a short-side-down position.

5. Apparatus for uniformly orienting miteredend cleats preparatory tofeeding said cleats to a box-part-making machine, said apparatuscomprising a hopper for holding a supply of cleats aligned generallyparallel to each other but of different orientation, a movable conveyorarranged below said hopper to receive said cleats from said hopper andconvey them single file to a pickup position, a rotatable spacing wheelhaving peripherally spaced elements for engaging said cleats at saidpickup position and removing said cleats at intervals from saidconveyor, a pair of movable orienting belts spaced apart a distanceequal to the length of said cleats for receiving said cleats from saidspacing wheel and conveying said cleats along a path generally at rightangles to the long axes of said cleats, said orienting belts beinginclined so as to present to the ends of said cleats surfaces extendingupwardly and outwardly so that the cleats in a short-side-up positionride on said orient- -ing belts at a higher level than the cleats in ashort-side-down position, means to drive said orienting belts at alinear speed sufficient to maintain a spacing between adjacent cleats onsaid belts, and a cleat-turning member positioned above the path of saidcleats at such level as to engage and impede forward movement of theupper portions of the cleats riding on said orienting belts in ashort-side-up position but not the cleats riding in a short-side-downposition, to create, with the moving belts, a couple which turns theformer said cleats generally about said axes and causes them to fall toa short-sidedown position.

6. Apparatus for uniformly orienting miteredend cleats preparatory tofeeding said cleats to a box-part-making machine, said apparatuscomprising a hopper for holding a supply of cleats aligned generallyparallel to each other but of different orientation, a movable conveyorextending across the bottom of said hopper and said hopper beingarranged so that the cleats therein rest upon said conveyor with thelong axes of said cleats approximately at right angles to the directionof movement of said conveyor. and the lower end of the wall of saidhopper on the side toward which said conveyor moves said cleats beingspaced above said conveyor by a distance slightly greater than thethickness of one of said cleats so as to permit said cleats to move outof said hopper only single le on said conveyor, a rotatable spacingwheel extending transversely of said conveyor so that said conveyorcarries said cleats laterally against the periphery of said spacingwheel, said spacing wheel having peripherially spaced elements forengaging said cleats and lifting them at intervals from said conveyor, apair of movable orienting belts spaced apart a distance equal to thelength of said cleats for receiving said cleats from said spacing wheeland oonveying said cleats along a path generally at right angles to thelong axes of said cleats, said orienting belts being inclined so as topresent to the ends of said cleats surfaces extending upwardly andoutwardly so that the cleats in a short-side-up position ride on saidorienting belts at a higher level than the cleats in a shortside-downposition, and a cleat-turning member positioned above the path of saidcleats at such level as to engage and impede forward movement of theupper portions of the cleats riding on said orienting belts in ashort-side-up position but not the cleats riding in a short-side-downposition, to create, with the moving belts, a couple which turns theformer said cleats generally about said axes and causes them to fall toa short-side-down position.

'7. Apparatus for uniformly orienting miteredend cleats and feeding themshort-side-down to a conveyor band of a box-part-making machine, saidapparatus comprising a pair of movable orienting belts spaced apart adistance approximately equal to the length of said cleats for receivingsaid cleats aligned generally parallel to each other but of differentorientation and conveying said cleats along a path generally at rightangles to the long axes of said cleats, said orienting belts beinginclined so as to present to the ends of said cleats surfaces extendingupwardly and outwardly so that the cleats in a short-side-up positionride on said orienting belts at a higher level than the cleats in ashortside-down position, a cleat-turning member positioned above thepath of said cleats at such level as to engage and impede forwardmovement of the upper portions of the cleats riding on said orientingbelts in a short-sde-up position but not the cleats riding in ashort-side-down position, to create, With the moving belts, a couplewhich turns the former said cleats generally about said axes and causesthem to fall to a short-side-down position, a movable cleat conveyorbelt adapted to receive said cleats from said orienting belts andsupport all of said cleats at approximately the same level and conveythem single file along a path generally lateral to said cleats, a cleatturning member positioned above said cleat conveyor belt to engage andimpede forward movement of the upper portion of each of said cleats andcreate, with the moving cleat f conveyor belt, a couple which rotateseach of said cleats axially through a angle in one direction, a hopperarranged above the conveyor of said box-part-making machine for holdinga vertical stack of cleats in position for successive removal from saidhopper by said conveyor band, and a guide channel arranged to conductcleats 13 from said cleat conveyor belt to said hopper, said guidechannel being shaped to turn said cleats axially through an angle of 90in the opposite direction so that said cleats enter said hoppershort-side-down.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein each of said cleat 'turningelements is mounted for upward yielding movement to permit a cleat topass thereunder while said cleat is rotating.

9. Apparatus for uniformly orienting miteredend cleats and feeding themto a conveyor band of a box-part-making machine, said apparatuscomprising a pair of movable orienting belts spaced apart a distanceapproximately equal to the length of said cleats for receiving saidcleats aligned generally parallel to each other but of differentorientation and conveying said cleats along a path generally at rightangles to the long axes of said cleats by engagement of said orientingbelts with the ends oi said cleats, said orienting belts being inclinedso as to present to the ends of said cleats surfaces extending upwardlyand outwardly so that the cleats in a short-sideup position ride on saidorienting belts at a higher level than the cleats in a short-side-downposition, a cleat-turning member positioned above the path of saidcleats at such level as to engage and impede forward movement of theupper portions of the cleats riding on said orienting belts in ashort-side-up position but not the cleats riding in a short-side-downposition, to create, with the moving belts, a couple which turns theformer said cleats generally about said axes and causes them to fall toa short-sidedown position, a conveyor adapted to receive said cleatsfrom said orienting belts and to convey the same in single file along apath generally lateral to said cleats, a hopper arranged above theconveyor band of said box-part-making machine to receive said cleatsfrom said cleat conveyor and hold them in position for successiveremoval from said hopper by said conveyor band, driving means fornormally driving said orienting belts at a speed suiiicient to supplycleats to said hopper at a rate slightly in excess of the rate at whichthey are removed from said hopper by said conveyor band, to cause a lineof cleats to accumulate in said hopper and on said cleat conveyor,control means operable to disconnect said drive means from saidorienting belts, said ,d

control means being responsive to the accumulation on said cleatconveyor of a substantially solid line of cleats of predeterminedextent.

l0. Apparatus for uniformly orienting miteredend cleats and feeding themto a conveyor band of a box-part-making machine, said apparatuscomprising a pair of movable orienting belts spaced apart a distanceapproximately equal to the length of said cleats for receiving saidcleats aligned generally parallel to each other but of differentorientation and conveying said cleats along a path generally at rightangles to the long axes of said cleats by engagement of said orientingbelts with the ends of said cleats, said orienting belts being inclinedso as to present to the ends of said cleats surfaces extending upwardlyand outwardly so that the cleats in a short-sideup position ride on saidorienting belts at a higher level than the cleats in a short-side-downposition, a cleat-turning member positioned above the path of saidcleats at such level as to engage and impede forward movement of theupper portions of the cleats riding on said orienting belts in ashort-side-up position but not the cleats riding in a short-side-downposition, to create,

'ifi

with the moving belts, a couple which turns the former said cleatsgenerally about said axes ant causes them to fall to a short-side-downposition, a cleat conveyor adapted to receive said cleats from saidorienting belts and to convey the same in single iile along a pathgenerally lateral to said cleats, a hopper arranged above the conveyorband of said boX-part-making machine to receive said cleats from saidcleat conveyor and hold them in position for successive removal fromsaid hopper by said conveyor band, driving means for normally drivingsaid orienting belts at a speed sufficient to supply cleats to saidhopper at a rate slightly in excess of the rate at which they areremoved from said hopper by said conveyor band, to cause a line ofcleats to accumulate in said hopper and on said cleat conveyor.electrically actuated control means operable to disconnect said drivemeans from said orienting belts, said control means including at leasttwo light transmitting means arranged at spaced positions on one side ofthe path of the cleats on said cleat conveyor, and arranged to directbeams of light through said path at spaced points, and photo-electricmeans mounted on the other side of said path in position to receive thebeams of light from said light sources except when said beams of lightare intercepted by cleats on said cleat conveyor, said photoelectricmeans being so connected to said control means that said photo-electricmeans actuates said control means to disconnect said drive means fromsaid orienting -belts only when the light beams from each of said lighttransmitting means to said photoelectric means are intercepted.

ll. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said light transmittingmeans are oriented to direct said beams of light across the path of thecleats at an oblique angle to the sides of said cleats.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim l0 wherein said photo-electric meansare sensitive to said beams of light through an area of greater lateralextent than the eiective width of said cleats as viewed from the angleat which said beams of light cross the path of the cleats, so that saidphoto-electric means are effective to actuate said control means todisconnect said drive means from said movable belt means only if atleast two adjacent cleats intercept each of said beams of light.

13. Apparatus for uniformly orienting miteredend cleats and feeding themto a conveyor band of a boX-part-making machine, said apparatuscomprising a hopper for holding a supply of cleats aligned generallyparallel tc each other but of different orientation, a movable conveyorarranged below said hopper to receive said cleats from said hopper andconvey them single file to a pickup position, a rotatable wheel havingperipherally spaced elements for engaging said cleats at said pickupposition and removing said cleats at intervals from said conveyor, apair of movable orienting belts spaced apart a distance equal to thelength of said cleats for receiving said cleats from said spacing wheeland conveying said cleats along a path generally at right angles to thelong axes of said cleats, said orienting belts being inclined so as topresent to the ends of said cleats surfaces extending upwardly andoutwardly so that the cleats in a short-sideup position ride on saidorienting belts at a higher level than the cleats in a short-side-downposition, a cleat-turning member positiontd above the path of saidcleats at such level as to engage and impede forward movement of theupper portions of the cleats riding on said orienting belts in ashort-side-up `oosition but not the cleats riding in a short-side-downposition, to create, with the moving belts, a couple which turns theformer said cleats generally about said axes and causes them to fall toa short-side-dovvn position, a c0nveyor adapted to receive said cleatsfrom said orienting belts and to convey the same in single file along apath generally lateral to said cleats, a hopper arranged above theconveyor band of said boX-part-making machine to receive said cleatsfrom said cleat conveyor and hold them in position for successiveremoval from said hopper by said conveyor band, driving means normallyconnected to drive the rst said conveyor, said spacing wheel, saidorienting belts and said cleat conveyor, and control means operable todisconnect said drive means from said spacing wheel and said orientingbelts but to leave said drive means connected to said cleat conveyor,said control means being responsive to the accumulation on said cleatconveyor of a substantially Solid line of cleats of predeterminedextent.

DAVID G. KINGSLEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 918,708 Smith Apr. 20, 1909 2,158,069 Grover May 16, 19392,180,601 Mitchell Nov. 21, 1939 2,209,340 Landry July 30, 1940

